The European Union Condemns the Execution of Habib Asyoud 'in the Strongest Terms'

The European Union condemned the execution of Habib Asyoud, an Iranian-Swedish citizen, in the strongest terms in a statement, reiterating its opposition to the death penalty under any circumstances. The EU expressed its condolences to Habib Asyoud's family and declared its full solidarity with Sweden. The statement noted that the death penalty violates the fundamental human right to life, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is 'the ultimate cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment.' The EU urged the Islamic Republic to refrain from executing death sentences in the future and to pursue a consistent and steadfast policy aimed at abolishing the death penalty. The statement concluded that the increasing number of European and dual-national Iranian-European citizens arbitrarily detained in Iran, the restrictions on consular access to European citizens, and their deprivation of consular support and the right to a fair trial directly violate international laws. Additionally, the execution of Habib Asyoud has triggered a wave of international condemnation, with the foreign ministries of several European countries, including Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Norway, and Denmark, denouncing it. Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billström expressed 'anger' over the execution, stating that the Swedish government had requested Iran not to carry out the death sentence on this Iranian-Swedish citizen. He stated, 'The death penalty is inhumane and irreversible, and Sweden, along with other EU countries, condemns its application under any circumstances.' The Finnish Foreign Minister described the execution as 'horrific' and called for an immediate halt to the death penalty by the Islamic Republic, emphasizing that his country opposes the death penalty at any time. The Latvian Foreign Minister strongly condemned the execution, stating that the death penalty is an inhumane punishment under any circumstances. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister condemned Asyoud's execution, asserting that his country condemns all executions without exception and without delay. The Estonian Foreign Minister condemned the execution of this Iranian-Swedish citizen in the strongest terms, stating that the death penalty belongs to the past and has no place in the present. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the death penalty under any circumstances, stating that state-supported killings have a brutal and inhumane impact on society. The Danish Foreign Ministry declared its full support for Sweden in condemning the execution of Habib Asyoud. Iranian news agencies reported on Saturday the execution of Farajollah Chaab, known as Habib Asyoud. The death sentence for Farajollah Chaab, known as Habib Asyoud, was confirmed by the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic at the end of Esfand on charges of 'corruption on earth through the formation and administration' of the 'Harakat al-Nidal' group and 'designing and executing terrorist operations' in Khuzestan province. Habib Asyoud was 48 years old and held Swedish citizenship. He had led the 'Arab Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz' known as Harakat al-Nidal for some time. In Mehr 1399, he was abducted by Islamic Republic security agents during a trip to Turkey and transferred to Iran. The Iran Human Rights Organization condemned the execution of Habib Asyoud as 'extrajudicial killing' and called for a 'strong reaction from the international community to this extrajudicial killing.' Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, the director of the Iran Human Rights Organization, stated, 'The execution of Habib Chaab is a clear example of state terrorism.' He said, 'Habib Chaab was a dual national citizen who was abducted by the government to gain leverage from European countries outside Iran's borders and was sentenced to death after a trial in a show trial without any of the criteria for a fair trial. This terrorist act by the Islamic Republic must be met with a strong reaction from the European Union and especially the Swedish government. Otherwise, no European citizens near Iran's borders will be safe.' The last court session for Habib Asyoud was held on Aban 3 in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. In recent years, Iranian security agencies have abducted several political activists and opponents of the Islamic Republic, including Rouhollah Zam, Jamshid Sharmeh, and Habib Asyoud from neighboring countries and transferred them to Iran. The judiciary has executed Rouhollah Zam and Habib Asyoud, an Iranian-Swedish citizen, and sentenced Jamshid Sharmeh, a dual Iranian-German citizen, to death.